Address Books and Other Stuff

Hiya!

Prompted by Julie Kirk (she does that occasionally - prompt me), I thought I'd drop in and talk about my address book. Julie's post here brought to mind not only address books but all the letters, cards, and postcards that I've received or sent over my lifetime. . . sooo many. But like many of us, I began recording addresses and phone numbers in my IPhone which sometimes works and sometimes not. However, I kept my address book because, like Julie so aptly notes, it is sentimental and I just can't part with it. Besides, there are times when I want to look up someone's old address (!). (That, in case you're too young to remember, is a toast of sorts; i.e., "Here's looking up your old address! Cheers!").

This is my address book/day planner that I've had since the early 1990's. Originally I had a larger, zip-up planner that was just too cumbersome, so I opted for this smaller one. The planner part hadn't been updated since around 2011 when I retired but I did keep the address section pretty well caught up . . . although, a lot of the addresses were on little slips of paper from random encounters. This last January, I thought I'd try using a planner again, so I bought 2018 refill pages which included a new address section. Needless to say, I didn't use the planner - who needs to plan when everyday is Saturday?! However, I started writing in addresses and got as far as my A for Allred grandchildren, putting their names in ink and their addresses in pencil since they are hither and thither. I found, though, that the spaces were way too small for my handwriting and eyesight - so I quit that and continued to use the messy A to Z pages that were already there.

About a year ago I couldn't resist picking up a new address book because it was pretty and I've decided (just now!) to transfer my addresses to it. We are going away for a few days - Clare is working and I am keeping him fed - and this will be the perfect opportunity to get that done. By the way, the place we're going is so lovely and quiet. Clare is doing the electrical for a family getaway house - we were there last weekend (Thursday through Sunday) and there is more to do to tie everything up so we're going back tomorrow, Wednesday, through Sunday. 

A bit off the subject but here is the place we're going back to . . . 

The Duchesne (pronounced "dushane") River runs not 100 feet away from where we're camping.

Our home-away-from-home.

The "getaway" under construction.

Anyway, back to the address book. I will have plenty of time to transfer to the new book in this wonderful setting. Not only do I have my everyday address book but I have this one for Christmas which includes addresses of people I am in touch with only at that time of the year.

Holiday Card List - tucked away with old and new Christmas cards.

Reviewing my address book habits got me rummaging in my desk drawers and I discovered just some of the letters and postcards I've received over the years, some dating back to the late 60's and early 70's when I was in the US Air Force and then starting domesticity and career. 

It's interesting that some of them are housed in this ripped envelope box . . . not pretty but serviceable!

Along with address books, I keep a birthday book which I've had since high school. That reminded me of the birthday book that one of our family's great aunts kept. When my sister and I visited British Columbia Canada in 2012, Dad's cousin on his mother's side showed us the birthday book. We scanned the entire thing because it was so intriguing. Dad's cousin still uses it to keep track of birthdays.

So very precious and obviously something Aunt Del treasured.

Though names and addresses are crossed out because of death or moves, like so many other respondents to Julie's postal research, I will keep my "paper" address book - who knows? it may be handy for future generations to have a look into my maily life. 

Bye for now.

XO